Big Brother
by Arwyn Atreides
Summary: A boy's journey to fulfill his responsibility to his little sister shows him things about not only himself but the world that he lives in.


As Kevin carefully crept through the dark hallways he swallowed a lump in his throat. His heart beat loudly in his ears as he tried stealthily moved towards his goal. He stopped abruptly as he heard a sound in the dark, a voice down the hall, his head whipped around as he widened his eyes. He prayed that he could see in the dark. He also prayed that no one else could hear the sledgehammer slamming into his ribcage that was his heart beating. He held his breath as he looked around but the hall was silent again. Building up his courage once more he set forth again.

"Kevin, son, come here. This is Evelyn, your new baby sister." Kevin's father had said when his mother had returned from the hospital.

"Why don't you come and say 'hello' to her?" his mother had said, smiling at Kevin. But Kevin did not want to say hi to the thing in the blanket his mother held. He knew what that thing was and he did _not_ want anything to to with it. He had been excited about the baby before, but his classmates had since set him right.

"No, no you do _not_ want your mother having that baby!" Gracie had said.

"My mom had a baby a few years back and I _still _ hate 'im!" Jacob had added, balling his fists. "All he does is cry! And when he isn't doing that he's getting' _me_ in trouble!"

all the other children had had similar complaints. Once that baby came home Kevin's parents would love _it_ and ignore him. He would have to watch it, get in trouble for it and lose all of his toys to it. He was fine not saying _any_thing to it, thank you very much! It had slithered into his home, he was not about to welcome it.

"No thank you." Was Kevin's reply as he concentrated on the picture he was drawing.

"Why not, Kevin?" His mother asked, curious and a bit hurt. Kevin wasn't looking at her but he could hear it in her voice.

"Because I don't like it."

"_Her_, son. But you haven't even met her..." his father said as he walked over to stand behind Kevin.

"_I don't want to meet her._" Kevin responded, determined to not look at his parents.

He heard his mother open her mouth to say something but his father spoke, instead. "No problem, Kevin, I understand." he set his hand on Kevin's shoulder and Kevin could hear the smile in his voice. "And you know soon your family pictures will have one more person in them." Kevin stared at his picture and his stomach tightened.

It was very late when Kevin's curiosity finally overcame his resolve. What did that creature look like? He had seen the baby in the new "I Love Lucy" episode but that baby had been the first one, Like Kevin. Kevin had been normal, but the second one was always evil. He had been assured of that by the other children, Kevin steeled himself for the worst as he crept out his room and to the new nursery, his old play room. He was ready to see the creature, like one from the movies his parents didn't know he had seen. He expected some small wolf man to be in the crib. As he edged the door open he imagined the hideous beast snoring and gnawing on something in its sleep. He slipped into the quiet room and walked quietly to the crib.

He squinted , peering between the slats of the crib at the thing asleep within. He gasped as he saw the tiny face covered in greenish light which poured down from the window. He stared at her helplessly, he looked at her soft eyebrows, her eyelids, her small nose, and her tiny lips. Kevin's heart had stopped as he took in the chubby face of the little angel. It was not until several small shadows had passed over her, blocking her image from his eyes so that he was able to breathe again. He had not been prepared for Evelyn. He had steeled himself for a monster, he could have never been prepared for the angel that is Evelyn.

It had been that moment that Kevin had sworn to protect his little sister. It was in that moment that he knew he loved her. As he raced through the dark hallways he finally understood the true meaning of those feelings, his promise to her. As her big brother he was expected to have those feelings, it was his responsibility to protect her. That expectation and that understood responsibility weren't the reasons why he was out looking for Evelyn, though, it was his raw and pure love for her.

He ducked into some darkened recess in the wall as a group of drunken adults stumbled past. They were talking too loud and as they passed he smelled the cloud of cigarette smoke. As the cloud wafted past his nose Kevin's stomach clenched. It was not just cigarette smoke to him anymore. IT was a part of the dark drama. Cigarettes had become a sour and sickening reminder of why he was out there.

It had been a few weeks ago when he had planned to sneak out to meet some of the other boys out by the 'docks.' Unfortunately, Evelyn had wanted to tag along and their parents were planning to leave.

"Why don't you take you sister? You're only going over to Jacob's" The mother had said as she watched Kevin from the mirror while adjusting her earring.

Kevin had sighed heavily and his shoulders had drooped a little. He couldn't tell his parents where he was _really_ going so his only option was to take Evelyn along if he still planned to go. Evelyn had been happy to follow him, she seemed to love spending time with him no matter where the destination. Even when he told her they were going to the 'docks' she still smiled and skipped along beside him. It wasn't until they arrived at the meeting and she saw all of the older boys passing around the cigarettes and alcohol, they had gotten dock workers to buy for them that, she made any sign of dissent.

"Kevin, I don't think we should be here..." she had squeaked as she tried to hide herself behind Kevin.

Kevin had huffed in a gruff manner and stepped away from her, "Don't worry Evelyn, we're just gonna have some fun with my friends, is all. Everything will be fine," he looked down at her sternly then, "As long as you don't tell Mom and Dad about any of this."

Evelyn had opened her mouth to make some small protest but then closed it and simply nodded. Kevin had smiled and joined the other boys.

The time that followed that was an inconsequential blur to Kevin every time he had tried to remember the events. All he knew was that one minute Evelyn was making some complaint about being bored and then she was gone. She had disappeared and it seemed to Kevin as if he had simply blinked and she had gone from being in front of him to being gone altogether. He knew that it had been much more than that but he could remember anything else, his mind would not budge.

Kevin had called for Evelyn but there had been no answer. He stumbled about, a bit drunk after what was probably only two beers. As he searched, though, the grim realization that his sister was not simply hiding began to slowly float up to the surface of his alcohol addled mind. When the idea that Evelyn was really missing finally seemed solid in his mind Kevin felt the blood, along with the alcohol, drain from his head. He had felt sick all of a sudden. His parent would be furious with him, he remembered worrying, but there was more which took longer to claw its way into his mind. He had failed her. He had failed as her big brother.

The other boys had tried to comfort him, saying that it was a good city. Someone was probably already taking her home. Kevin had nodded and tried to go along with the it rational line of logic but there was a sick feeling in his core which told him that that was not the case. There was some hole torn open in his soul from which there screamed some wicked voice which told him that he had doomed his sister.

'If I hadn't been such an idiot you'd be safe at home Evelyn.' Kevin thought, cursing himself as he came to a lit intersection. The light was just enough to read the crudely drawn map he was attempting to follow. He squinted to read the poorly drawn picture on the greasy napkin. The task made more difficult by the raucous vending machines which never slept. He finally chose a direction and set off again.

The map was terrible but it had been hard earned and it was Kevin's only clue to finding Evelyn.

Kevin's parents were torn between being hopeful and being distraught. Years ago, when Kevin had been a baby himself, his parents had moved to a utopia where something like this was not supposed to happen. They had been assured of such things, it was one of the reasons that they had taken the huge risk and taken the plunge. Now the snake in Eden had stolen their baby and they either had to face that their paradise was flawed and their daughter was gone or that God was taking His time and would soon return her. Neither prospect was particularly bright. Kevin could see the turmoil taking place within his parents. He also saw that they were torn about how they felt about him. They wanted to reach out and cling to him, their only child, but they were disgusted by him, knowing that it was he who had brought about this family catastrophe. He was smart enough to know that this was all killing his parents. He was also smart enough to understand that blame rested squarely on his shoulders and it was his responsibility to fix it. He was going to find Evelyn. He _had_ to bring her home.

He followed the twists and turns and his stomach , already knotted and turned over, began to sink. The halls were becoming familiar. He glanced at the map again, hoping that he was mistaken. Kevin's eyes skipped ahead, his mind raced forward through the passages he'd have to traverse. He nearly wretched when he realized his destination.

"Please, mister, if you know _any_thing . I'll pay for it, I'll work for it, whatever you want!" Kevin had begged a man who had been around when Evelyn had disappeared. He had slipped a few times when talking to Kevin and the boy knew that he knew something. Kevin had stalked and hounded him for the past several nights, he didn't know what kept the man from revealing his knowledge to Kevin but with a possible clue so close he didn't stop to ponder the reason for the man's tight lips. All Kevin knew was that of all the people he had spoken to this was the one most likely to speak and the man was close to cracking, The man had stopped looking at Kevin, he drank his beer, agitated at the constant questions.

"Look, kid, I don't know what to tell you1 I don't know nothin!" He snapped.

"I don't want much! Just something to point me in the right direction."

"The girl is gone, why do you care so much?"

Kevin had felt as if there was a cold hard hand slapping him across his face. "I care because she's my little sister! She needs her big brother! I have to find her! Why won't you just help me?" Kevin was on the verge of yelling and the man shushed him.

"Alright, alright, if you really think she needs her big brother." The man lowered his voice and moved closer to Kevin. "You want a point in the right direction, right?" Kevin nodded dumbly. "And you don't want me there or need me to talk to the cops?" Kevin shook his head. "Then I may be able to help you. I'm gonna draw you a map and all you's gotta do is be at the star around midnight tonight."

The man had scribbled out a crude map on the back of a napkin at the bar and he stabbed at the newly star with a tar stained finger. Here. Midnight. Got that?"

Kevin had studied the map for a long time in the turquoise light which streamed in through his window as he waited for his parents to fall into a deep enough sleep. When he had thought they'd be too far into sleep to hear him creep out he had left his apartment and gone back to the bar which served as his starting line. Now with the finish line in sight he was sickened by his anxiety for the future and by the irony of his destination.

He was back at the docks he instinctively looked for cover as he crept closer. As he closed in on the doorway to the docks which should have been closed he was surprised to find it open. He was also surprised to hear the quiet. There was only one man talking, with assenting grunts from others and the low whimpering of something or someone. His heart began to pound harder as he crept into the room, deafening him to the words of the man. As he got closer he heard between beats "Please Mister F-" his next heartbeat blotted out rest of the plea.

Then a gunshot rang out and cut off the all of the dialogue. The sound had frozen Kevin. He might be a few feet from a murder. He might be found. He might be killed too! His animal instinct told him to run but his humanity urged him to stay. He had to stay. He could look for his sister once the men left. He would just have to wait them out. He was behind some crates and he could run for some more permanent cover. Kevin turned to take a step when he felt the ground shake. His breath caught and his heart skipped a beat.

In the skip he heard "Right on time. Clear out boys and let her do her work."

Kevin's mind raced and her crept to a small hole in the wall of improperly stacked boxes. He could see the man laying dead on the wooden planks. The ground was shaking more, something was coming closer, using a different entrance. Kevin heard the door open, the clanking of chains as the metal door was lifted. His thumping heart seemed small when compared to the what ever it was that had entered. Kevin held his breath as he saw a huge shadow fall over the dead man.

Then a small creature darted forward to the body. "Oh look Mister bubbles! An angel!"

Kevin stared in shock as he realized that it was a person in not some animal. The person danced about and then dropped down to kneel next to the body. Kevin realized that it was a girl. He stared at it/her and then he felt something familiar as he looked at the dressed the thing/girl was wearing. It was dirty and missing a bit of the hem but there was no mistaking it for him. It was the dress Evelyn had been wearing. He heard a sickening sucking and tearing sound and finally looked at what the midget was doing.

His stomach rolled as he realized that it was cannibalizing the dead body. He stared in horror, unable to tear his eyes away from the scene before him. The monster tilted her/its head and the light caught her features. Soiled cheeks and glowing eyes but Kevin's mind was still able to identify his sister in the creature. His eyes fell to her tiny blood soaked lips. His eyes became riveted to them. He had once prepared himself for this type of a horror, waiting in a crib, but that had been a different time. That had been before he had known Evelyn. Now he did not know her. This was not his sweet little sister. This was some monster from a cannibal nightmare.

"See. She don't need you anymore, Kevin." A voice whispered beside the boy. Kevin looked at the speaker but then looked back through his 'window' when the heavy footsteps resumed. A malformed giant came into view and the bloody-lipped Evelyn monster smiled up at it. The way little angel Evelyn had smiled up at him so many times before... but now her tiny white teeth were covered in red.

"See? She don't need a big brother. She's got a Big Daddy, now."


End file.
